Especially relevant for the would-be chartered surveyor in the current market, this course offers a detailed study of the built environment alongside an expert analysis of the acquisition, disposal, management and valuation of land and buildings.

It is professionally accredited, benefits from close links with industry, and thoroughly prepares you for the enormously varied work of a general practice surveyor.

What's covered in the course?

The course gives you the skills to respond effectively and resourcefully to problems of land-use allocation, development appraisal, and property investment and management.

Addressing the realities and challenges of the current market, you look in depth at legal and development issues, and cover aspects such as law, valuation, and property investment. Your modules also investigate economics, technology, services, professional skills and surveying.

A study of marketing, business management and economics gives a solid contemporary business base to specialist topics. Final-year modules give you the crucial ability to think independently, critically analyse and evaluate information and express your thoughts coherently and professionally.

After successful completion, and before you can apply to become a Chartered Surveyor, you need to work for a Chartered Surveyor and study for the Assessment of Professional Competence qualification.

Why Choose Us?

With full accreditation by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the course allows you to progress to the further study needed to qualify as a Chartered Surveyor.

You gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire development building process, alongside a solid awareness of environmental and planning procedures.

You will benefit from the opportunities to network and develop professional contacts through our strong links with industry.

You have the chance to undertake research for an industry client through the inter-professional project, delivered in conjunction with Birmingham City Council.

You enjoy a programme shaped by the requirements of the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence, thus improving your employability and facilitating rapid career progression.

Strong links with employers allow you to apply what you learn in a practical context through work placement opportunities. You will use industry-standard facilities and learn the latest skills.

Additional Requirements

As part of the application process you will be invited to attend an applicant visit day where you will undertake a short one-to-one interview with an academic member of staff. This is your chance to show us how passionate you are about the subject and it will help us make a decision on your application.

This will provide you with more information about the School and your course. In addition, it will give you a chance to meet and our staff and students to gain a better understanding of what it is like to be a student here.

Unconditional Offers

If you are a full-time undergraduate applicant for the 2015/16 year, and show particular potential, we may be able to make you an unconditional offer if you make us first choice and satisfy certain criteria.

To be considered you must hold, or be predicted to achieve:

300 tariff points or above from three A levels (equivalent to grades BBB or above)
or
be predicted DDM profile at BTEC level

School or college experience

Non-accredited skills or achievement

eg Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise scheme.

You should also mention your future plans – if you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons. Talk about any subjects you’re studying that don’t have a formal assessment and any sponsorships or placements you’ve applied for. And don't be scared to add in details about your social, sports or leisure interests.

Got any questions?

Financial Support

We offer further information on possible undergraduate financial support. This includes the type of loans, grants and scholarships available both from the government and from Birmingham City University.

Year one

Part-time students are on the HNC route for two years and after successful completion, you will join the second year of the undergraduate programme.

Professional Practice Project

30 credits

Real Estate Economics

15 credits

Business and Accounting

15 credits

Building Construction and Inspection

15 credits

Principles of Valuation

15 credits

Law for the Built Environment

15 credits

Professional Practice Project 1

15 credits

Year two

Professional Practice Project 2

15 credits

Planning and Development Appraisal

15 credits

Residential Surveying

15 credits

Law for Property and Planning

15 credits

Landlord and Tenant Law Practice

15 credits

Applied Valuation

15 credits

Property Investment and Finance

15 credits

Professional Practice Project 3

15 credits

Year three

Inter Professional Project

15 credits

Corporate Real Estate Management

15 credits

Portfolio Decision Making

15 credits

Professional Practice and Managerial Skills

15 credits

Advanced Applied Valuation

15 credits

Valuation and Law

15 credits

Honours Research Project

30 credits

Course Structure

This course is aimed at you if you are interested in the study of the built environment and in the acquisition, disposal, management and valuation of land and buildings.

Essentially ‘real estate’ is about land and property. The work of a general practice surveyor does not represent a traditional nine-to-five occupation and, by the very nature of the profession, the work is enormously varied.

The course has been designed to enable you to understand and solve problems of land-use allocation, appraisal and management. There is a strong emphasis on legal and development issues. The course introduces modules covering law, valuation, property development, business management, economics, technology services, mapping and surveying, and marketing and management. The course also equips you with a working knowledge of Sustainable Development. The comprehensive study project will allow you the opportunity to develop the theory and practice you learn in the real world.

Once you graduate, you will have a thorough knowledge of the entire building process as well as a broad understanding of environmental and planning procedures. After completion of this course, should you want to be employed in the property market, it will be necessary for you to work for a Chartered Surveyor and study for the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) qualification, before applying to become a Chartered Surveyor. This course provides exemptions towards the Home Inspectors award.

Teaching breakdown

value

label

color

35

Time in lectures, seminars and similar

MidnightBlue

65

Time in independent study

RoyalBlue

Assessment breakdown

value

label

color

30

Written exams

DarkOrange

69

Coursework

FireBrick

1

Practical exams

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Student stories – Rachel Hill

Ambitious Rachel Hill made the most of her 12-month sandwich placement – before graduating with first class honours. Her work placement not only equipped her with the hands-on experience to impress employers, but also counted towards a valuable professional qualification.

It’s also been the perfect way to show employers what she’s made of. Rachel was able to work towards her Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) before completing her degree, as the placement experience counted towards the first 12 months of her APC diary.

Being able to show to prospective employers that I had completed the first year of my APC and had experience in the industry also put me in good stead for graduate jobs once I had completed my degree

This course is accredited by the following organisations:

Exemption towards the Home Inspectors Award

This course provides you exemption towards the Home Inspectors Award.

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) – a preferred route for those looking to eventually qualify (with further study) as a Chartered Surveyor.

Erasmus scheme

If you are interested in undertaking part of your studies abroad, the Erasmus scheme may be of interest to you. It allows higher education students to study for part of their degree in another European country.

It is open to undergraduates in their second year (or above) and offers a unique opportunity to enhance your CV and experience new cultures. If you study with us you will have access to an Erasmus co-ordinator, who can provide information about which institutions we have links with.

Further Study

You will be encouraged to progress to postgraduate study within the school, which provides a range of relevant Master’s courses. Details can be found on the courses section of the website.

Student stories Lisa Hastilow

Lisa has been working for leading global property advisor and surveying practice Jones Lang LaSalle since September 2008 and is training to become a Member of the RICS by sitting her Assessment of Professional Competence.

I loved the course, the lecturers and the general atmosphere, and I made some great friends who I regularly keep in touch with. The work was hard but extremely rewarding. I always felt completely at ease in the campus and I always felt that if I needed any help regarding anything at all, there were people I could go and talk to who would listen and care

Praise from external examiners

“The high level of staff commitment to the student experience is quite evident and witnessed in positive student feedback.”External examiner, BSc Real Estate

Enhancing your employability skills

Our graduates have found employment with utilities services, in private practice, commercial organisations, local and central government. They have undertaken a wide variety of work, including domestic, commercial and industrial projects. General Practice Surveyors might find themselves advising clients on commercial and residential agency, property valuation, property management, investment, planning and development.

Typical roles include:

Agents

Property referencers

Valuers

Development appraisers

Investment valuers and agents

Rating surveyors

Management surveyors

Planning and development surveyors

Property marketers

Consultant assistants

VOA 'cadets'

Portfolio and fund managers

Placements

Excellent links with industry employers provide opportunities for voluntary work placements and permanent career opportunities.

Students have been found internships or work placements at companies such as CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, GVA, Knight Frank and Savills.

The delivery of the course is complemented by a range of visits to sites where you will be able to appreciate theory in context.

The opportunities with companies such as Birmingham-based Willmott Dixon, a leading independent construction and property company, have increased confidence, ability and skills.

OpportUNIty

OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.

It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.

24k...is the average salary six months after graduating2012/13 DLHE Response

Graduate jobs

Graduate employers include:

Birmingham Property Services

the VOA

Cushman & Wakefield

CBRE

GVA

Colliers International

Jones Lang LaSalle

DTZ

Lambert Smith Hampton

Savills

Knight Frank

Harris Lamb

Cottons

Gerald Eve

Bruton Knowles

Vail Williams

Deloitte RE

John Shepherd

CPBigwood

Chivers Commercial

Picton Jones

Edward Symmons LLP.

100%...of students are in work or full time study six months after graduating2012/13 DLHE Response

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC)

International students who have a serious interest in studying with us but who perhaps cannot meet the direct entry requirements, academic or English, or who have been out of education for some time, can enter Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC) and begin their degree studies.

BCUIC is part of the global Navitas Group, an internationally recognised education provider, and the partnership allows students to access the University’s facilities and services and move seamlessly through to achieving a Bachelor’s degree from Birmingham City University.

Our Facilities

We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £260 million on new learning facilities. It’s no surprise that the Complete University Guide placed us in the UK top 10 for spending on facilities in both 2012 and 2013.

Building work on our new Conservatoire began in the summer of 2015 – and is scheduled for completion in summer 2017. This, along with the construction of a new city centre accommodation block, means our students have access to their very own building sites.

We couple this with the more traditional, office-based facilities:

Computer Assisted Taking Off

Here at Birmingham City University you will make use of commercial software as part of your assessment. Work is carried out in well-equipped and air-conditioned laboratories.

Computer Assisted Design (CAD)

You will be provided with the latest CAD software – free of charge – to enable you to acquire the skills you need in a modern design office.

Surveying equipment

Part of your learning activity will be hands-on, including carrying out survey work using a range of equipment, such as levels, theodolites, measuring tapes.

A computer-generated virtual site

The use of a virtual building site will help you to appreciate the surroundings of a typical construction site and experience some of the challenges you will face in practice.

89% of our students agree that staff were good at explaining things. National Student Survey 2014

Matthew Smith

Programme Leader

Matthew is a Senior Lecturer in the Birmingham School of the Built Environment. He is Course Director for BSc (Hons) Real Estate.

Before joining Birmingham City University he worked for Colliers Bigwood and Bewlay, Chesterton plc and King Sturge & Co. in the fields of agency, insolvency and compulsory purchase but mostly in valuation and development appraisal.

David Adams

Lecturer in Planning

David is a Lecturer in the Birmingham School of the Built Environment and has worked for Birmingham City University since 2008. Prior to this David was a Planning Policy and Research Officer at Staffordshire County Council.

During his time at Staffordshire County Council, David was employed as a Planning Research and Information Officer within the Research Unit. The Research Unit underpinned the strategic planning, highways and transportation work of the County Council by providing the key information which helped the Council's policy makers to understand the changing character, trends and issues affecting Staffordshire.

More specifically, David was engaged with providing technical expertise that filtered into policy guidance for some key areas of regional/strategic planning and corporate activity. In accordance with the provisions set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, a large focus of his work was based around contributing to the County Council's role of giving advice to the Regional Planning Body that fed into the partial review of the West Midlands Regional Strategy.

Peter Barrett

Senior Lecturer

Peter is Director of Postgraduate Studies in the Birmingham School of the Built Environment.

1974 – 78 Birmingham City Council Estates Dept1978 – 1980 Portsmouth City Council Estates Dept1980 – 83 West Midlands County Council Valuation and Estates Dept1983 – 89 City of Birmingham Polytechnic School of Estate Management1989 – 1995 Associate Partner with Ralfs and Janes (Chartered Surveyors)1995 – date Birmingham City University - Birmingham School of the Built Environment

Amanda Mundell

Senior Lecturer

Amanda is a Senior Lecturer in the Birmingham School of the Built Environment and teaches on post-graduate and undergraduate programmes. Her teaching experience is supported by 2:1 law degree (specialising in Planning and Environmental Law), a post-graduate professional qualification (Legal Practice Course), along with 15 years relevant practical experience with a Local Planning Authority in their Legal and Development Control Sections.

Amanda has also undertaken course development roles within the School and been a course leader.

Julian Sidoli del Ceno

Reader in Property Law and Dispute Resolution / Deputy Director of the exCHANGE Research Centre of Excellence

Julian is a barrister who researches primarily in the fields of alternative dispute resolution, construction, housing and property law. He is particularly interested in the philosophical and jurisprudential aspects of mediation and matters concerning housing rights and professional practice.

He has extensive experience as a practitioner of ADR. Current projects include a study of the jurisprudence of mediation, and a narrative account of housing law.

Julian is a peer reviewer for a number of journals and conferences. He is happy to receive proposals for research or collaborative work in any of these areas.

Julian is external examiner in Law (LLB) at the University of Bedfordshire.

Roger Wall

Senior Lecturer

Before joining the University in 2001, Roger worked for a water resource management consultancy specializing in IT solutions and GIS applications, and as a software engineer for a German consultancy firm.

He recently completed his involvement with the IEE IEC-SME project and was part of the team that wrote the final report and disseminated the findings in Brussels. He was worked on a joint ESRC-EDF bid with other members of the School and have taken part in an Erasmus exchange to EIGSI in La Rochelle. He is currently responsible for developing a new MSc course provisionally entitled, ‘Creating A Sustainable Environment’.

He has also previously worked on business engagement programmes designed to help SMEs develop and market environmental technologies (EnviroInnovate & EBOP).

Rogers current interests are linked to building design and renewable energy technologies. He is also interested in the complexities of sustainable systems and the need to balance many different and often conflicting factors.

Antony Taft

Senior Lecturer

Antony is a Senior Lecturer in the Birmingham School of the Built Environment and Course Director for HNC Construction.

During over 33 years in the construction industry Antony has worked for Local Authorities, Developers, Civil Engineering Consultants ultimately as the Associate Director of a multi-national consultants and finally in the education sector. A period was spent in Nigeria working on social development projects.

Experience includes Project Management and design of on and off-site infrastructure for commercial and housing developments up to £50m. Civil engineering feasibility reports and design of foundations inevitably formed part of this process. Such Reports included flood risk assessments, land appraisals, and environmental statements. He is a competent user of several civil engineering industry standard software packages and approved as a Supervising Civil Engineer for the I.C.E training scheme.